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Friday, 28 September 2012

Autumn is here. There was little adjustment period from the sun setting on Summer and instead we were treated to a cool slap and a damp downpour to wake us up to the return of our favourite season. Taking a break from throwing all manner of protective clothing in to my suitcase in preparation for a weekend trip to Manchester, I thought I'd treat you to another look of Autumn favourites. Here, Daniel Jenkins turns to trusted garments. He doesn't care for the whims and fancies of the season and instead focusses on seasonal staples that have long proved themselves...

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"I'm Welsh and very pale so tend not to do too well in the summer months, I don't burn but I certainly don't tan and rarely feel comfortable. If it's hot, I'll just wear shirts and shorts which fine but not usually exciting. I like Autumn because it means that I can enjoy wearing clothes again. Everything I'm wearing today, I've had a while. I prefer everything feeling lived in. The jacket which is by Stansfield is four years old and just perfect for this climate. The Acne jeans are five old and I've practically worn them three days a week ever since I bought them and they have their own personality now (including a whole in the crotch). The shirt which is by ARN Mercantile is two years old. I bought the Lou Dalton mac the season that it was released but didn't wear it, I'm not sure why but I pulled it out last year and just fell for its charms all over again. I love that it's a little big so that I can wear it over a few layers. I won't be shivering in this outfit. The brogues are the only thing that I'm wearing that is less than a year old. They are Pembrokes by Crockett and Jones and I've only had them a couple of weeks but they are wearing in nicely and were so damn comfortable straight out of the box. I think they are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn..."

Wednesday, 26 September 2012

“My role in all of this is very simple. I make clothing like armour. My clothing protects you from unwelcome eyes,” explains Yohji Yamamoto. We all need added armour during the cold, wet and wild months of autumn and blog favourite The Dandy Project has fully embraced the designer this coming season. On one of the hottest days afternoons of the year, we snapped two looks that Izzy was most looking forward to enveloping himself in over the coming months and both were built on solid sartorial foundations provided by Yamamoto...

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"This fall (Autumn), my look is highly influenced by my Asian heritage and my fascination with Japanese culture, and my obsession with the idea of comfort and the notion of dressing for oneself versus dressing for an audience. Lately, I've been going for voluminous, Samurai-esque bottoms, like the Yohji Yamamoto hakama pants photographed here and a new pair of cropped palazzo pants by Comme des Garcons Homme Plus that I have yet to debut. I'll find warmth and comfort in long double-breasted coats and robe-like jackets in tactile fabrics for the indoors, or out in the early fall. This autumn, still dark and dandy as the past few, will be my cosiest ever..."

Izzy on his favourites this season.

Sunglasses by Number (N)ine, shirt and trousers by Yohji Yamamoto, vintage tapestry robe by Neiman Marcus and the black leather and suede shoes are a collaboration with The Dandy Project and Allen Edmonds
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Shirt and trousers by Yohji Yamamoto, vintage black coat by Pierre Cardin, fox scarf from the Garment District in NYC and shoes by Allen Edmonds.
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Monday, 24 September 2012

"Being disappointed during many shopping escapades, I felt the drive to create beautiful fashion," explains Jackie Villevoye as she showcases the latest collection of Jupe by Jackie. Having been an art collector, photographer and interior decorator in previous work lives, it was only in 2010 that the budding designer was drawn to the wonderful world of hand embroidered neck wear accessories. "Knowing that an accessory shown directly underneath the face is a strong character piece, I thought of concentrating on these "new" neck wear pieces."

With an emphasis on grace and individuality, the designer’s innate sense of style, hunger to create and overriding desire to produce the finest of products led her to India, where she sought for intensive needle art work – an art rarely pursued today. "Mapping the world, it was clear that these high skilled craftsmen are to be found in India. Indian people have deep artistic grooves and are open to contact. I travelled for two and half weeks from North to South visiting numerous work places, and got into deep conversations with a diversity of people, from Silk manufacturers to market people in Bazaars. My heart led me to the right people."

Following her fruitful search, Villevoye's designs are executed by master artisans and their exquisite hand work is beautiful, tactile and wearable. Jupe only uses the best available materials that retain their beauty, function and elegance over time. The pieces are mainly made of silk and due to the artistic feel, peppered with personality. Subtle accents, impeccable colour combinations and fine borders are fast becoming the label's signatures. Jupe has enabled an exploration and focus on a few products and seen the designer delve in to the details neckwear, learning about its components, its uses and its meanings. What have she learnt thus far on her journey? "Neck wear is of course a classic piece, used to accompany a suit or tuxedo. But when a bow tie or tie is turned into an art piece, the wearing of it overrules just the task of accompanying. It peppers the outfit, and makes the person who is wearing it more interesting. I love that extra 'touch'."

It is Jackie Villevoye's love of that extra touch that made her label's discovery so special during the menswear mayhem that was London Collections: Men back in June. A few months on and with a much needed change of pace, I was able to pause, admire and stroke the latest collection at the Showroom Next Door...

Our own shots taken at the Showroom Next Door alongside detail shots supplied by Jupe by Jackie.

In addition to the new forms of neckwear shot above, Jackie Villevoye has introduced a series of cocktail dresses, all hand embroidered or hand-beaded, tops, made in simple cuts of plain silk and blouses in delicate cotton. Each piece has an accent of embroidery and I'd love to see the designer turn her attention to menswear in a similar fashion. The designer hints that this might be just around the corner. "With Arts & Science Tokyo for example, I am doing a collaboration for their male waistcoats. They sent me the pattern; we finish it by embroidering nice fine borders - a great outcome. A shirt of course is also a nice piece to upgrade with some hand work, perhaps in the near future!"

The designs are limited and sold in a covetable list of high end boutiques around the world including Barney’s New York, l’Eclaireur Paris, Opening Ceremony and Comme des Garcons’ Trading Museum in Tokyo. Shamefully, the label currently has no UK stockists but I'm sure that will change shortly. As it is a damp Monday afternoon I'll leave you mesmerised by a short film showcasing the fine craftsmanship that combines to realise Jupe by Jackie...

Sunday, 23 September 2012

I woke up in a delicate state this morning and before I could wipe the sleep from my eyes I was greeted with a percussion of throbbing head and gentle tap of rain against the window. Ignoring the desire to pull the duvet over my head, I quickly reached out for the latest issues of Fantastic Man and the gentlewoman. Sandwiched between the contents of the Oliver Sim and Angela Lansbury covered publications, my weary brain soon felt invigorated. A ménage à trois for the mind (possibly nightmares if you really think about it).

The sixteenth issue of Fantastic Man (where does the time go?) is a delightfully substantial one weighing in at two hundred and ninety four pages. Initial flick through highlights include Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Holly Johnson embarking on a fashion odyssey, a beautiful instructional manual for the noble pursuit of ironing and Jonathan Saunders working up a sweat. As always it is difficult to put down but with the adored legend of stage and screen that is Angela Lansbury cheekily smiling on the cover of its sister publication, I had to. Lansbury leads a cast of some of the most remarkable and captivating women who are all profiled in this edition of the gentlewoman. From intrepid shopkeeper Leila McAlister to incomparable artist Tauba Auerbach, retail powerhouse Alannah Weston to the xx’s charming Romy Madley Croft, it is a treat to discover. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to bed.

Friday, 21 September 2012

Oh how we love Autumn here at Style Salvage with its fruitfulness, its flowers and its hearty platefuls. Some of you might be desperately clinging on to the remnants of the season just passed but we love the upcoming mornings from late September through to December where we can layer, wrap and protect ourselves in an assortment of comfortable and practical fabrics. Wool, tweed, cashmere and anything else we can get our hands on are all layered in a rich fallen leaf palette to envelop, comfort and protect. Of course there is the occasional grim autumnal day where we look outside and want to do nothing but watch old films and hide away from the world but after a busy summer even these days can be most welcome. When the sun does shine we happily explore the ever changing landscape. So, to celebrate our favourite season we've asked a selection of our favourite people to tell us about the outfit that they are most looking forward to wear throughout these next few months. First up, Rhamier Auguste shot on the bustling streets of New York lit up by a final burst of summer sun during the sunset of New York fashion week...

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"When it comes to dressing for cooler weather, I tend to go by two lines I've read in reviews for Patrik Ervell and Raf Simons's shows, respectively: "...a parallel universe for moody art-school kids with a thing for Joy Division" and "...English schoolboy with a background of Punk and New Wave". That said, I like the basics to be built around the idea that I'm an English schoolboy. I've even created an official uniform for the imaginary art school that I attend. I make a point to wear the 1461 model Doc Martens (Made In England, no less), a pair of tailored dress trousers or chinos, a club collar shirt (via Patrik Ervell) or a small collared oxford button-down shirt. Then I layer a sweatshirt or an alpaca knit sweater over it. The fashion pieces that I purchase to accompany this uniform tend to be more grunge/punk/new wave.

In the tumultuous seas of spurious, pointless and head scratchily strange pop up ventures, we desperately cling on to the rare examples of worthwhile and fruitful match ups. The recent coming together of 3939 and The Shop at Bluebird is such an example and duly leaves us humming Go West (The Pet Shop Boys version, of course) as we reach for our wallet. Expanding from its bustling East London enclave, which sees it neighbour the likes of Present, Anthem and Hostem to name but a few exciting independents to be explored locally, 3939 has now landed in to the welcoming arms of one of our favourite West London haunts. From Kingsland Road to Kings Road, E2 to SW3, east meets west in a happy marriage that sees the perfect east London shop within a west London postal code.

A unique destination, 3939 Shop at Bluebird builds on the exciting co-operative lifestyle and retail foundations laid in Shoreditch and provides the opportunity for a new customer base to discover carefully selected well crafted artifacts and product by lesser-known brands, many appearing for the first time in the UK and from across the world. Also featured are many talented, new artists commissioned exclusively for this occasion to be showcased in the 3939 gallery. From Ashley Joiner's film that lights up the back wall to framed Beatrice Boyle prints, luxurious Jas MB totes to scrumptious Sibling knits, splendid Postalco stationary and wardrobe staples by Dodd, discovery is at every turn. Below are just a few of the things that caught my eye and captured my imagination at the launch event on Wednesday morning...

Designed by a group of creative friends and leaders in their field within the creative industries of fashion, retail, design and art direction, 3939 Shop at Bluebird brings a truly independent daring vision and youthful energy into this new pop-up space in Chelsea. Go West.

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Style Salvage is blog about how men could (and do) dress. Started back in June 2007, the blog aims to showcase emerging and established design talent alike. It features style commentary, 7 day style diaries, interviews with designers, journalists and shop owners mixed in with the occasional personal style shot.